SECURITY operatives have found the decomposing body of Hon. Justice Azuka, a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, at the 2nd Niger Bridge.
Recall that on Tuesday, 24 December 2024, gunmen abducted the lawmaker representing Onitsha 1 North Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
He was reportedly kidnapped while returning home on Ugwunaobankpa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha.
The abducted lawmaker, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), had regained his mandate after a court ruling ousted the previous winner, Hon. Douglas Egbuna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was initially declared the winner of the 2023 election.
Police operatives attached to the Inland Town Division, Anambra State on 27 December 2024 announced recovery of the vehicle of the lawmaker.
Spokesperson of the state Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who revealed this, said there has been an ongoing intense operation to rescue him since his kidnap.
He said: “The recovery (of his vehicle) followed an intense ongoing operation by police operatives attached to the Inland Town Division.
“A separate rescue team sighted the abandoned vehicle at Upper Iweka Road, and the Commissioner of Police has charged the deployed rescue team to intensify efforts for the possible rescue of the honourable member.”
Meanwhile, in a fresh update on Wednesday, a security source disclosed that the culprits have been found.
“We have arrested the culprits that kidnapped and killed him. They were arrested very late last (Wednesday) night and they now went and showed the security men where they dumped the corpse,” the security source said.
“It is sad and tragic. What a huge loss. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen. Our condolences and heartfelt sympathy to his family, traditional ruler of Onitsha, Obi of Onitsha, Dr Alfred Achebe and the entire people of Onitsha North Constituency 1.”
This was corroborated by various posts on Facebook announcing the demise of the lawmaker after his body was found.
A Facebook user, Odili Rose Agina, in a post on Thursday, said; “Hon.Justice Azuka found dead. The decomposing body of Hon.Justice Azuka, a member representing Onitsha North Constituency 1 in the state House of Assembly was found last night. He was kidnapped on 24/12/2024. May his soul rest in peace, Amen.”
Another user, Chukwuma Okafor wrote; “Hon. Justice Azuka a sitting House of Assembly member in Anambra State who was kidnapped on 24th December 2024 along Ugwunabakpa Road Inland town Onitsha has been reportedly found dead. This is very sad. May his soul rest in peace.”
However, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command hasn’t confirm the development as of the time of filing this report.
Also, it is still unclear if his abductors reached out to the family for payment of ransom.
Eighteen-Eleven Media